Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Get ready to fly higher and higher in Last Robot 2 with high soaring rocket boosts and jump pads! The Last Robot 2 is a typical distance game aside from the fact that it is vertical and more action climbing than automatic.

For quick comparison think Goin Up' but without all the crazy retro references and just typical pixel art and some upgrades. You may be hearing a hint of disdain in my voice but trust me there really isn't. Last Robot 2 is a fine game and it did keep my occupied...albeit for 5 minutes. Yes, 5 minutes and that is me actually finishing the game and getting most upgrades, so you can say that this is a very quick game. Quick games are fine in theory and if done right. In fact most distance games feature quick bursts of gameplay but have a strenuous upgrade system to keep you busy for a while. Last Robot 2 did not do this and in return suffers from extremely quick game finishing rates and extremely low replay value. And that folks is the main probably with Last Robot 2.

In other areas Last Robot 2 is good. Has the typical pixel art graphics which I do love but lately are becoming kind of trite and out of style per say. Also features a minor achievement system which is always good and a multifaceted upgrade system although they are easy to buy and the game is easy to win without them. I guess you can say I'm mainly disappointed. The premise of Last Robot 2 is great and one of my favorite types. Yet not much was done to keep it interesting. More enemies/traps would have gone a long way, also a better in terms of longer upgrade system would have keep the replay value and I'd still be playing right now.

Griman is back with another Jolly Jong game! This time entitled Jolly Jong Journey and it is worlds different than a typical Mahjong game such as his own Jolly Jong 2.

Jolly Jong Journey has managed to create something entirely unique out of the classic yet trite genre that is Mahjong games. You may have noticed I have added a new genre tag for Journey from Jolly Jong 2 and that is strategy. yes, Jolly Jong Journey added a heavy strategy component that makes the puzzles even harder. Basically now instead of just trying and matching the tiles any way you want you have to do them in a specific order. Makes for some tough decisions and a lot of trying to figure out what tiles and under other tiles. I honestly think this is a great move for Griman and the Jolly Jong series as a whole as honestly, if he didn't do something this bold and dare I say game changing then his entire series would be based off of an ever boring classic game. With Journey the series takes a fresh new look and shows the world that there is more than can be done with Mahjong than meets the eye.

The only complaint however with this style of play is randomness. Unlike normal Mahjong or any real Solitaire type game, I feel that Journey cannot just have willy nilly randomness thrown in like it does now. This leads to a lot of unavoidable stalemates and makes the implemented three star system almost impossible. However, some randomness is good as it takes away the ability of strict memorization and allows for some real puzzle solving and strategic thoughts to go on. Overall I love this new and fresh idea of Jolly Jong Journey and I hope that Griman continues to develop it into an eventual Jolly Jong Journey 2.

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Time to take over the world! Only one problem... you're evil robot that you designed is stuck in the research facility. Whelp, time to make him sentient and break him out!

Do not be fooled by the genre tags of puzzle and platformer. I know loads of games fall into this category and I end up reviewing an awful lot of them, but Killbot! is different. Killbot! is one of the most unique flash games I've ever had the pleasure of playing. What makes it so unique? Well, a few different factors. From first glance the graphics do stand out. They are cartoonish but in a cool 90s cartoon way, so think Ed, Edd and Eddy or some other glorious Cartoon Network show.

The other and most important unique characteristic about Killbot! is the actual puzzling. The "gimmick", if you'll excuse my terminology, is basically telekinesis. And the way it works is very cool. Basically there are items just laying around which are susceptible to physics and your mind! So you can click an item and then swing it around, make it float, etc. This is useful as you can move items, press levers, all sorts of puzzle devices! On top of this you can use your telekinesis powers to grab clothes to disguise yourself for security clearances and such. Overall I just felt that the puzzle aspects and the puzzle "gimmick" for Killbot! was very unique and hasn't been done quite in this way before.

There are, however, a few faults I found within Killbot! These fall partially in the graphics but more in the level design. The levels are semi-linear, in which there is one start and one end but various paths to get to the end. However, the level design along with somewhat ambiguous distinctions between movable and immovable objects can create some problems. Control wise is also kind of lacking a certain...finish that is hard to put into words, along with some control issues in the actual telekinesis part. Overall though KillBot! is still a very unique concept that everyone needs to experience.

First things first, Sift Heads: Street Wars - Prologue is exactly that; a prologue. It's also sort of a demo for the full game Sift Heads: Street Wars which is going to be a multiplayer experience, but more on that later. So while I will touch on the promised multiplayer Sift Heads: Street Wars I am going to focus on this Prologue for a bit and sort of spot light it.

If you don't know the Sift Heads series then you are missing out. It is perhaps one of the best rails shooters out there and features a great storyline loaded with action and the best part is there are a ton of games in the series and all are great. Sift Heads: Street Wars - Prologue is the first game/prologue to break free from the rails shooter genre and go full on top down shooter. Which makes sense as you cannot have a multiplayer rails shooter. So how does this top down perspective compare to the typical rails view? Honestly, pretty good. My only issue is slightly in the controls and shooting but the majority of that problem lies in my bad internet connection and computer in general, although that is still an issue as it could limit a potential audience (those will slightly sub-par computers) and especially limit the audience when the official multiplayer Street Wars comes out. But aside from that issue everything is great. The graphics look amazing in 3-D and it is very cool to physically get to interact with places and things you just sort of see and click in the other Sift Head games.

So now on to talk and hype up Street Wars, the full on multiplayer experience. Just from their site, SiftHeads, they are expecting an early 2012 release, so with this Prologue out now I can only expect to see the full game very soon as well. One of the best parts about this multiplayer Sift Heads: Street Wars is it is free to play and no download required. On top of this it is going to boast some awesome features. Customizable characters, upgradeable weapons, missions, six different areas, deathmatch gameplay as well as some nice features such as exploding cars, interactive environments and cameo from the characters in the Sift Heads universe. All I can say is this game is sounding like it'll be amazing and I cannot wait for the full version to come out!

Monday, February 27, 2012

Well this is certainly a change in expected direction. Origaming, the team behind the surprisingly hit launcher game, My Dear Boss, is back in the ring but this time with a zombie defense game.

Although, not much can really be said about their game, Vanish Rain. Well..ok I lie, I can talk for awhile on any game. But Vanish Rain is again a very typical and generic game in another over saturated genre. It is a typical shooter defense game and with the inclusion of zombies it just makes it even more generic. If you don't know the style of game, it is the exact style (and zombie theme) as Dead Zed which coincidentally was just another copy cat game in itself. Nothing really makes Vanish Rain stand out.

This of course doesn't mean it is a bad game. It has a certain level of polish and I do really like the graphics as they remind me of IVE, The gun upgrade system is good, not as extensive as other games or as much as I'd like but at least you can upgrade clip size, reload time, etc. So pretty much in all of those aspects it is fairly solid. I did, however, find the actual gameplay to be sub-par. Found the weapon shooting to be slow even upgraded weapons, sort of laggy (although that could be my connection) and at times unresponsive. The balancing I felt was a little off as well depending on certain guns. So again, overall Vanish Rain is an ok game but lacks any ounce of real creativity and for that it suffers.

The first time I played this game was around this time, one year ago. It was a simple flash game that was a load of fun. I was a biker and I loved motorcycles. This was and still is, my favorite motorcycle related game.

Cost of Lane Splitter is FREE on the Android Market and $0.99 on the App Store. I have no problem at all with the cost, and would pay $0.99 if I had to on the Android Market.

Lane Splitter got updated. They added a store, new characters, cops, and coins. It's almost similar to Temple Run; running as fast as you can, collecting coins, and avoiding the obstacles.

However, Lane Splitter is different for every time you hit "Play Again". Cars move freely and can use their turn signals and switch lanes. You must avoid crashing into them! Traffic is ever changing and for some reason, always seems to get in your way.

This game is extremely easy to learn. Tilt to steer left or right, avoid the cops, cars, and walls, pick up coins, and press the screen to perform special abilities. Tilting takes a bit getting used to, as it's quite sensitive (at these extreme high speeds!).

The new update also brought the leaderboards and Facebook integration. Now you can post your score on your wall and brag to all your friends. Post your score here too!

Graphics are appealing and are of very high quality. It's 3D, bright, and includes lifelife animations, sounds, and physics. Environments change every day you play! You won't regret playing this game. If you have an Android, get the app now, and if you have an iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch, spend the $0.99 for a fantastic app!

Sunday, February 26, 2012

It's finally here! The flash game franchise that is Shopping Cart Hero is a very popular one albeit only having the two games, but people have been looking forward to the promised third installment as it's been two years since Shopping Cart Hero 2 and finally Shopping Cart Hero 3 is out! However, must say I'm very much disappointed...

The first wave of disappointment comes in the fact that there has been no real or substantial change between Shopping Cart Hero 2. But, even if I am to completely take that out of the equation and rate this game like it was the first in a series it is still disappointing. First off the graphics are sub-par in this day and age. The stick figure "genre" is not a bad one and does not automatically garner a bad graphical rating. But the upgrades and level backgrounds do... It reminds me of Konki Chuck which is not a compliment. Secondly, it just doesn't match up to the current gen standards of distance/launcher games. It features a distinct launch phase, sort of like the Learn to Fly series, however nothing else is up to snuff. It does have an upgrade system but features a lot of one time use items or joke items. Not a good move there. So much lost potential as well.

The few interesting things that Shopping Cart Hero 3 brings to the table would be interesting, or at least more interesting, if the ideas haven't already been in the second installment. This includes "boss fights" and the different worlds. Overall, Shopping Cart Hero 3 is a big disappointment in a well known flash game franchise.

Frogs!? That are Ninjas!? Add this to the ever growing ninja animal list with Ninja Bear, Ninja Dogs, and Ninja Cat. Might as well add frogs to the mix.

Ninja Frog is the latest in ninja animals yes, but does have an interesting gameplay style. Well...I would say this if there was not a game that came out last month; Sticky Ninja Academy.That is this exact same style. But not hear to accuse any party of copying. There is actual subtle differences in the two anyhow and pros and cons of each. For example Ninja Frog has the same gameplay mechanisms but focuses a lot more on puzzles and traps. To accomplish this it also incorporates a new dynamic of picking up and throwing items whether it be bombs or shurikans.

The other main difference is that Ninja Frog's controls are actually pretty buggy. The gameplay overall is kind of sluggish which as you can imagine leads to some frustrating points in game. Graphically the game is very well done and has a great deal of polish. Looks very professional. Musically the game suffers from a constant loop of annoying music, luckily a mute button is provided. Overall Ninja Frog is a pretty good game. Sluggish controls do plague it and it isn't as impressive as it would be if other games haven't done this idea before, but not too bad.

We all all familiar with the famous Fruit Ninja by Halfbrick Studios. Made famous on the App Store, it has now migrated into Facebook as well as Xbox 360. But where is the computer version? More importantly, where is the FLASH version?!

Yet, this time you are not a ninja, but a samurai. The concept is still the same. In Samurai Fruits you get five lives. You have to avoid the grenades (bombs) and not let any fruits drop.

However, there are a few differences in the gameplay. They added more "bad things". There seems to be a purple bomb that when you cut, leaves a purple gas blob on your screen, blocking your view. There is also a white vial, maybe drugs, that blurs your vision. It's sort of like being drunk, or hallucinating.

Another change is powerups. You can use A, S, and D key to hit your powerups when you get them (according to the bar on the right). Powerups include: slow motion, crazy time, and double points.

There are two modes to the game. Arcade, which is the classic one with lives, and then time trial. Time trail is fun, and is a quick way to pass the time if you are in a rush.

What's Not to Like?

Unfortunately, the game does get glitchy sometimes. There is a mouse bug that really bothers me. Sometimes you need to click and hold the left mouse button then slide your mouse to slice the fruit. However, sometimes you don't need to press the left mouse button and can just move the mouse.

Some certain fruits are very ignorant and just don't want to be cut up. If they do, it has to be in their special way. So sometimes you might need to slice a single fruit multiple times in order to get it cut.

Other than that, Samurai Fruits is the first of it's kind to bring to flash games! At least, the only one that is fun to play and is closest to the original concept.

Imagine being trapped in a quarantine zone, fending yourself off from hordes of zombie super soldiers when your army vehicle breaks down. There are orders to nuke the city and it's either fix your car and escape, or sit around and either get eaten or nuked. What is it going to be?

That, my friends, is the crazy story behind Awaken: Front Lines, a new zombie strategy defense game and perhaps one of the most challenging and intense games. The game dynamics are also very unique in a flash game setting. You start out with three soldiers and can have up to six and like I said earlier, your job is to defend yourself and fix your car. So like in Dude and Zombies fashion, you must fix your car, but the main challenge is in multitasking your platoon. You have to fix your car, then go out into the dangerous ally ways to strip parts from other cars. Plus you have to do this while hordes of zombies are near and have to have your soldiers on top of their game with reloading and looting the area (gets you money to upgrade your soldiers).

Yes, that is another awesome feature of Awaken: Front Lines. The soldier upgrades and equipment is very neat. Essentially each soldier has three attributes; intelligence, strength and agility. When they rank up you can increase these. Weapons are based on how much of each attribute you have. So for example, pistols require intelligence to wield, shotguns require strength and rifles require agility. On top of this you can equip armor and other items to help in various tasks (such as increase in looting skill, repair skill or hacking). Furthermore (yes this game has a lot of features) you can build barricades and increase intel which can give you hints on upcoming waves.

Awaken: Front Lines is a very well polished game in terms of the well thought out gameplay as I just described but also in graphics and sound effects. The only issue I really have in Awaken: Front Lines is some glitchy movement issues when it comes to ordering your soldiers around, but other than that Awaken: Front Lines is an absolutely amazing strategy defense flash game.

Get ready to kill some more zombies, I know you want to! Especially in puzzle fashion!

Stinger Zed: Mission Undead accomplishes just that. More zombie killing action that is of course so popular nowadays with a puzzle aspect. Not I know zombie puzzle games are not all that rare, there are tons of physics based zombie puzzles. However, Stinger Zed: Mission Undead is more than that. It takes the atypical route and does a unique shooter style puzzle. Again, I know shooter style zombie puzzle flash games have been done before but again Stinger Zed is different.

How? Well, unlike a lot of other shooter based puzzles where you have an array of weapons you need to use in different orders you just have one weapon. A homing rocket launcher. This also is what brings the uniqueness (among other things). You shoot the rocket and then have to guide it to the targets which are zombies in this case. As you can imagine this leads to some interesting puzzles that haven't been done before quite in this way. Furthermore what makes Stinger Zed: Mission Undead unique is it is turn based. By this I mean the zombies that you are trying to kill get to shoot back at you after each shot. This leads to a mild form of strategy as you need to know what ones to kill first so you don't die (you have a health bar).

Yet, Stinger Zed does have some issues... Well, issues for me. This game is very different to say the least yet I was left for more desire. By this I mean the levels were very typical aside from a few outliers and in general the game was easy. I got almost half way done before I had a real problem and I earned gold stars on each one. Although I do suppose some people like their games a little on the easy side. So while Stinger Zed: Mission Undead is fairly easy still give it a try as it features some very unique flash game features.

Friday, February 24, 2012

Everyone knows ducks don't obey the laws of gravity, so it's time for Gravity Duck 2! Also if you haven't noticed I decided to continue a slight duck theme today with my post on Ducklife 4 and now Gravity Duck 2.

Gravity Duck 2, for better or for worse, plays pretty much exactly like the concept of VVVVVV with the gravity switching on and off. Now I'm not going to be one of those guys who completely bashes a game for a similar concept, especially a concept like this which VVVVVV was not the first to do and obviously not the last. Although I will say the similarities are striking, even in the music and sound effects, but nonetheless.

Moving away from any genre similarities, I shall talk about gameplay. Gravity Duck 2 has some pretty solid gameplay. There are some slight issues which stem from some unreasonable sponsorship requests (can't press x to quickly go to the next level, have to click with the mouse which is coincidentally located below a large banner ad for the sponsor...), but other than that there is none. Level difficulty however is a huge issue for me. This game was very easy. I never had to really think about what to do and the most I died on a level was probably three times. I also finished this game in probably 10 minutes and there are a lot of levels. I guess a level pack/expansion pack would work for this as I feel the level design overall was pretty good and not as boring as one would have expected. But even with that the levels were way too easy. Overall though Gravity Duck 2 is a very solid game albeit not the most challenging or unique.

The ever famous Ducklife series is back with the much anticipated latest edition; Ducklife 4. Although I will admit right away that this will be a hard review for me to write.

Why? You may ask. Well, frankly I do not get the point of these games. It is a game centered around a deplorable idea and unfortunate accident in many console games. Level grinding. How can one purposely make a game on level grinding and then expect people to enjoy it? However, I must be a minority as tons of people love this series. So, I will try and keep my personal feelings to a minimum and judge based on quality.

First off, if you don't know what the Ducklife series is all about aside from my brief level grinding rant, I shall explain. Basically the overall goal is to win races. However you must train your duck in various aspects involved in the races such as running and swimming (among other things). To train in these areas there are sets of little minigames you must play. Each skill (ex. running or swimming) consists of three related minigames. These minigames by themselves are very simple (hence minigames in general) but I do like the fact that they are tailored to specific trainable attributes and some are kind of fun (others are not so much). The more you play these games the higher your skill levels go up, the better you can compete in the races and tournaments.

However, you can own more than one duck! And in fact it is encouraged for tournaments as if you use the same duck in all three races in a tournament he weakens and will not do so well. What does this mean? You guessed it! Three times the level grinding of an already slow paced game. That is one problem I noticed with this game. Not only is it tons and tons of level grinding but if you can get past that the races and tournaments themselves are deplorably slow. You can skip some I suppose but only if you feel like you've already lost. Moving on from gameplay reasonings. Ducklife 4 does have a very nice and polished graphical look to it although not much has changed much since Ducklife 3. Overall, Ducklife 4 is a game where you either love it or hate it. I unfortunately hate this type of game so it's not for me but it very much might be for all of you!

Ever want to know what it feels like to have a company which makes zombies in order to take over the world? Well welcome to Zombies, Inc. the cooperation of zombie world domination.

Zombies, Inc. is the latest game brought to you by Aethos Games and it shows a lot of promise. Management style games are not as common as other flash game genres such as puzzle or platformer games so I always try and play the good ones which come out as it is such a rarity. However, while I do like playing them, I'll admit I'm not that good at them (at least comparatively to the other genres). But with that being said, after a very slight learning curve, which is to be expected with any real strategy management game, it is a fairly easy game to pick up and get into.

The closest game I could compare Zombies, Inc. with to compare gameplay is the Infectonator series more specifically World Domination. I say this as your overall goal is to take over cities all over the world. Of course in Zombies, Inc. it is based on strategically buying and forming your zombie army and in Infectonator it is chain reaction based, but the premise is there.

What also makes Zombies, Inc. such a fun game to play is the humor and graphics. The graphics are cartoony but it fits with the humor theme they have going on and it really just gives an almost brandable as well as approachable quality to it. The humor is spot on. Not only is everything sort of humorously cartoonized but the zombies themselves look funny and funny messages are always popping up. Overall, Zombies, Inc. is a hilarious game in an underrepresented genre and is a great one at that!

Thursday, February 23, 2012

LongAnimals is back with the sequel to the popular racing game, Neon Race 2! It's like Tron but flash!

But really, Neon Race, as the name somewhat implies, is very...Tron-ish inspired. At least to me. This style is actually really popular as I've played many games like this including Vector Stunt which is of similar ilk. So of course, even though this is the second Neon Race you need something to stand out in this racing flash game pool. What is it going to be? Upgrades! Upgrades make everything better. Neon Race 2's upgrade system is very similar to that of games like Rod Hot's Hot Rod Racing where you can buy different cars which each you have to upgrade their individual parts separately. While I know this style of upgrades is a popular style I just don't like it. It leads to too much level grinding where a straight linear upgrade system I feel is the perfect amount.

I do like a lot of other elements in Neon Race 2 though. The idea of having "rivals" and other cars which you smash into to give you turbo boost brings a new element in and makes for some intense runs. This part could also easily be expanded upon perhaps into a real racing game instead of this single player timed race run game. The graphics, although I know I mentioned above how they've been done before, still really impressed me here especially the blurring effects as you get faster and use turbos. Overall Neon Race 2 is a solid timed racing game with an expansive upgrade system that will keep you buys for a while.

There are lots of great flash RPG games out there, but here are the best that are free to play. They feature fantasy worlds, interesting characters, and storylines that can keep you going for hours.

1. ARCUZ – This RPG has an extensive storyline, impressive graphics, and game play similar to Zelda – what more could you ask for in a free flash game? Help your hero train and learn new skills as he fights monsters and accomplishes quests. This game will have you playing for hours.

2. Monster’s Den – This is one of the most popular flash RPG games for a number of reasons – game play is party-based, with five different character classes and lots of weapons, enemies, and dungeons to find and conquer.

3. Hero’s Arms – The adorable fantasy world of this RPG is a nod to early versions of Zelda and other magical retro games. You can defeat monsters, find treasures, and explore the magical world as you gain new skills and level up.

4. Dragon Age Journeys –This RPG is based on the popular game Dragon’s Age: Origin from Bioware. It has the best graphics of any free flash RPG, as well as a complex storyline, lots of character customizations, and original skill progressions.

5. Caravaneer – Although this RPG is set in a fantasy world, it differs from many RPGs in that it is a trading game. You must transport goods between towns on your caravan while fighting robbers, solving quests, and figuring out lots of economic and tactical strategies.

6. Mystic Circle – This charming RPG is like many other fantasy flash games. You must find seven pieces of a broken magical mirror that have been scattered around the island by exploring the world and interacting with interesting characters.

7. Yan Loong Legend – Unlike most RPGs, this is a side-scroller that two players can play. It is also a martial arts game that focuses more on fighting than exploring, which means that it iss important to develop your fight combos!

8. Mardek – If you’re looking for a classic NES-style RPG, Mardek is it. Slay dragons and save a princess in this highly story-driven game. If you prefer more fighting and less storyline, then this is probably not the game for you.

9. Talesworth Arena – This is your typical fantasy RPG with a few unique features. You can choose between being a juggernaut, psionic, and engineer – not your typical RPG classes. Train your character to fight in arena battles as they gain strength and new skills.

10. King’s Island – This RPG features some of the best graphics of any free flash RPG. It’s a “hack ‘n slash” game in which you explore the island and fight enemies. The one downfall of this game is that you can only use your mouse, which can be rather limiting.Guest Post by Marcus Morris

Marcus Morris is a computer programmer who has been passionate about gaming for his entire life. He owns the site Computer Game Design for students who are interested in learning more about what it takes to be a game designer.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Ever wonder what would happen if the stick figures you draw on those crumpled pieces of paper would come alive? Well obviously the answer is they would be controlled by you in a puzzle platformer game! Think of Crumpled as Fancy Pants Adventure but with less fancy pants adventuring and more crumpled up paper puzzleing. But control/character wise, totally similar!

Crumpled is a very...interesting game. Right off the bat it throws in your face graphics which, well, feature realistic crumpled of paper. Now this has been done before but not as much as you'd think and I really appreciated the look. Secondly the movement of the game is both amazing yet a pain. It is amazing as the character moves so fluidily (Sort of). What I mean by this is he sort of does parkour (the developer's words not mine) in the fact that he grabs on ledges and flings himself up, slides along walls, etc. Things that you scoff at when you see them in a game on the Xbox 360 or Wii but in a flash game are rarely implemented. However, they aren't as fluid as you would hope and the controls at some points do ask for a lot of keyboard-mouse interactivity which makes for hard and frustrating times.

The other really neat feature about Crumpled is the puzzle aspect. This is not your typical puzzle platformer of find keys, push buttons, open doors. No, no, no. You have a blob! Which can help make platforms to get to higher places and push buttons for you. You control the blob with the mouse and yourself with the keyboard. Now do you understand my comment earlier? Either way I found Crumpled to be a very unique game that tried some bold new moves, just needs a little more polish in the control department and it would be great.

As far was multiplayer flash games go, tank artillery games are bound to be one of the most popular. At least they are some of my favs, the last one I reviewed being Shellshock Live. However, this sheer amount of tank artillery mulitplayer games does wear thin the audience and means your game really has to stand out.

Luckily for UMAG2, it does. Of course the 2 aka "It's a sequel" should clue you in that there was and is a pretty big community from the first UMAG. But on top of this it really does stand it's ground. The first thing you'll notice that makes it different from most tank artillery games is the graphics. I find that most tend to go for a simple graphics which is fine, but UMAG2 goes all out on detail. Which is a new approach that really makes it stand out. However, while I do praise the graphics it is only certain aspects graphically. Mainly the tanks themselves (which are customizable) and the levels. Avatars and other minor things actually seemed a little lackluster, but when the two main things look good I guess I can bring myself to not sweat the small things.

Everyone knows that to make a good tank artillery game you need a great selection of weapons. This is where I would say Shellshock Live would win (not that I'm comparing the two). Not to say that UMAG2 does not have a wide range of weapons it does. Has around 15 or so give or take (I'm giving a very rough estimate). But the variety isn't too...well varied. You have a lot that do the same just bigger explosions and then have a fair amount that are for defense. This is a double edged sword. It's great and unique that there are defensive shots (jetpacks, shields, diggers) but it's a waste almost in terms of creative offensive weaponry.

Since UMAG2 is a multiplayer game I figured I should touch on that aspect. It's actually pretty awesome and is one of the more defining characteristics of the game. Not only has the community been much better so far than a lot of other games (of course this isn't a direct characterization of the developer or game itself) it also has some nice features. Separate user (aka Kongregate users) and guest servers leads to some nice community growing and keeps some of that aforementioned spam/rage out. Clans, avatars, stats, etc. are also implemented further giving more replay and more community points to UMAG2. Overall, UMAG2 is a great tank artillery game that has loads of promise and can see garnering a great community for years!